Diathermy apparatus



July 24, 1934. M. FRIEBERG DIATHERMY APPARATUS Filed March 25, 1935INVENTOR Parenteel July 24, 1934 r 1,967,815

STATES PATENT orrlcs 1,967,815 DIATHERMY APPARATUS Max Frieberg,Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 25, 1933, Serial No. 662,658

3 Claims. (Cl. 174-89) This invention relates to new and useful imstoodand appreciated by those skilled in the art. provements in medicalappliances and more par- The invention. will be clearly understood fromticularly it pertains to medical appliances of an the accompanyingdrawing illustrating the ineiectrical nature, and while I have hereinillusvention in its preferred form and the following 5 'tr-ated myinvention as embodied in an appadetailed description of theconstructions therein 60 ratus especially adapted for performingdiathershown. mic operations in the oral cavity, the principles In thedrawing: and advantages thereof are readily adaptable to Figurel is asectional view illustrating the apparatus for use in other locations ofthe body. manner in which a device constructed in accord- I am awarethat apparatus have been heretoance with the present invention is used,65

fore devised for the purpose of applying special Figure' 2 is aperspective view of the device, treatments to portions of the oralcavity, but all Figure 3 is a view in rear elevation cf the such deviceswith which I am familiar, have at device, least two very seriousdisadvantages. First, all Figure 4 is a sectional view takensubstantially such apparatus with which I am familiar, have on the line4 4 of Figure 3, 7@

an electrode of a nxed size which electrode sub- Figure 5 is a detailsectional view taken subjects the entire area covered thereby to thetreatstantially on the line 5--5 of Figure 3, and; ment which in someinstances is undesirable since Figure 6 is a detail perspective View ofthe in some cases a more confined or local treatment contact element ofthe device.

is desired. Second, all such devices have their The device of thepresent invention comprises 75 electrode permanently attached to a bodyportion a main body portion which in the present emof insulatingmaterial preferably soft pliable rubbodiment includes two wing-likemembers 12 ber which forms an insulator for portions of the which arespaced from each other as best illusarea adjacent the area beingtreated. In such trated in Figures 2 and 3. Projecting from the devicesperfect sterilization, which is highly debody portion at a point betweenthe wing-like 30 sirable where the same device is used by many members12, there is an extension 13 which patients, is ahnost impossible ofattainment. preferably increases in thickness in the direction A featureof the present invention resides in of its free end 14. Adjacent itsfree end, the the provision of a 'novel apparatus wherein the extensionmay be provided with a groove 15 upon electrode is of such characterthat it may be used each of two opposite faces, the purpose of which 85in any size desired thereby providing a device will be hereinafterreferred to. This extension by which the treatment may be restricted torela- 13 is also provided with a passage 11 which extively small areaswhen desired. tends preferably entirely therethrough.

A further feature of the invention resides in The device is formed froma non-conducting a novel construction wherein the electrode is material,preferably rubber, and said material is 90 readily removable and of sucha nature that it of very pliant or flexible nature in order that it isused upon but a single patient, the electrode may readily conform to thecontour of any being discarded or disposed of after each use,irregularities in the area to be treated and to each patient beingtreated by a new and unused which it is applied. electrode. The bodyportion of the device preferably con- 95 The removable electrode abovementioned is sists of two members 16 and 17, the member 16 preferably inthe form of a sheet of thin pliable being secured to the member 17throughout a metal of which foil is one very good example. portion onlyof its area by a suitable adhesive, This foil has electrical contactwith a contact vulcanizing, or in any other suitable manner. In elementand another very important feature of securing the member 16 to themember 17, the 100 my invention resides in a novel construction entirelower portion of the member 16 is left free whereby this contact elementmay be removed in Order that this pOItOIl 0f the member 16 may from thebody ef the device te thereby provide be folded back upon itself for apurpose to be for eective sterilization of all parts which arehereinafter described. Also, the members 16 and used in more than oneoperation. 17 are unattached at the point designated 18 and 105 Otherfeatures of the invention relate to certhe Spa@ IJIOVided by thisn0ll-atta0hment 0f the tain novel and improved constructions,arrangemembers 16 and 17 at the point 18, has comments and combinationsof parts hereinafter demunication with the passage 11 of theextenscribed and particularly pointed out in the claims, sion 13. theadvantages of which will be readily under- The member 17 is recessed asat 19 which re- H0 cessed portion is dened by a flange 20. The member 16is of such size and shape that it conforms to the recess 19 and when inposition therein, its outer face will be flush with the outer face ofthe flange 20 to present a smooth outer surface upon the rear face ofthe device.

The free portion of the member 16 is designated 21 and this portion ofthe member 16, together with the recess 19 of the member 17 forms apocket which is adapted to be closed by thefree portion 21 of the member16, which in effect forms a pocket closing flap.

In Figure 6, I have illustrated a contact element which is substantiallyT-shaped, having a stem 22 and arms 23. This contact element is formedfrom metal capable of conducting electricity and it is adapted to bepositioned in the recess 19 beneath the portion 21 of the member 16,withV the stem 22 thereof extending through the passage 11 of theextension 13 as best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing. The stem ofthe contact element is longer than the extension 13 and in use, the freeend of the stem is adapted to be bent into parallelism with one sideface of the extension 13 as at 24 in Figure 1. A terminal clip 25 may beemployed to electrically connect aconductor 26 with the contact elementand in making the connection, one jaw of the terminal clip will forcethe bent over end 24 of the stem of the contact element into one of thegrooves 15 of the stem thereby to prevent movement of the contactelement between the two members 16 and 17.

The reference character 30 designates an electrode and this electrode isso positioned as to have a portion thereof exposed upon the rear face ofthe body portion of the device and at the same time have electricalcontact with the contact element. This electrode is formed from a thinsheet of ductile metal of which foil is one very good example.

In positioning the electrode, a piece of foil is out to the desired sizeand shape depending of course upon the size and shape of the area to betreated. The electrode is then folded about the free edge of the pocketclosing ap V21 with a portion thereof extending into the pocket 23 asindicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 and designated 31. This portion 31of the electrode will always be of such size that when the pocketclosing flap is in its closed position, the portion 31 will engage andhave electrical contact with that portion of the Contact element whichoccupies a position in the pocket formed by the members 16 and 17.

In Figure 1, I have illustrated one manner of use of the device hereindisclosed. In said gure, the device is positioned between the lip andgums of the patient being treated, the electrode 30 being positioned incontacting engagement withthe area to be treated. The conductor 26 isconnected to one terminal of a suitable source of electric currentsupply, herein illustrated diagrammatically as a battery 35, the otherterminal of said source of electric current supply being connected withthe body of the patient as at 37 by a conductor 36 all in a mannercommonly employed in the use of such devices.

After the treatment has been completed, the device is removed from mouthafter which the electrode 30 may readily be removed and discarded. Theterminal clip 25 may be removed after which upon folding back the freeedge 21 of the portion 16, the contact element may be removed leavingthe several parts separated in order that they may be separatelysubjected to suitable sterilization treatment. After sterilization, thecontact element may be again positioned within the pocket between themembers 16 and 17, a new electrode positioned as heretofore describedand the device is again ready for use.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the presentinvention provides a new and improved apparatus so constructed andarranged that a sanitary device employing a new electrode Vis providedfor each patient, thus greatly enhancing apparatus of this generalcharacter.

While the invention has been herein illustrated in its preferred form,it is to be understood that it is not to be limited vto the specificconstruction herein illustratedV and that it may be practiced in otherforms which rightfully Vfall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as newand what it isdesired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a body portion ofnon-conducting material, said body portion having a contact elementreceiving pocket, apocket closing member, an electrical contact elementmounted in said pocket, and an electrode foldable about a portion of thepocket closing member and extending into said pocket into engagementwith the Contact element carried therein.

2. A device of the character described comprising a body portion ofnon-conducting material, Said body portion having a contact elementreceiving pocket, a pocket closing nap, a contact element removablycarried in said pocket, and an electrode carried by said pocket closingflap and foldable about the free edge thereof in such a manner that whenthe ilap is in its closed position, a portion of the electrode will beexposed upon the outer face thereof with a portion of the electrodedisposed behind the flap in contact with said contact element. Y

3. A device of the character described comprising a body portion havinga contact receiving pocket, a iiap for closing said pocket, said pocketclosing flap having its free edge positioned in spaced relation to theadjacent edge of the body portion when said flap is in pocket closingposition, a contact element removably mounted in said pocket, and anelectrode foldable about the free edge of said pocket closing flap Vandhaving substantial portions thereof disposed upon Aopposite sides ofsaid flap with that portion at the rear of said flap contacting with thecontact element.V

' MAX FRIEBERG.

